IoT Applications: Flexible Architectures Drive Growth

Just like the chameleon, IoT software architectures must be able to adapt

The buzz surrounding Internet of Things (IoT) connecting virtually unlimited end-point devices is almost entirely centered around the convergence of high-speed processing, intelligent gadgetry, ubiquitous connectivity and massive bandwidth. However, the expansive vision of advanced IoT applications and the promised rewards are increasingly dependent on capabilities of IoT software solutions, platforms and middleware blending high-profile IoT hardware technologies to enhance functionality and deliver the desired results.

A typical enterprise IoT use case involves a myriad of sensors, data loggers and gadgets generating a deluge of IoT data from across large distributed systems. The size of deployment itself is not the only consideration for progressive organizations pursuing long-term growth with IoT initiatives. The ability to increase the capacity of the IoT system to establish IoT applications based on evolving business requirements is just as important in determining the long-term feasibility of IoT initiatives. Flexible, scalable and agile IoT system architecture serve well to address these concerns and present IoT systems as adaptable solutions in the modern data-driven and connected workplace.

The concept of ubiquitous IoT – that refers to multiple individual IoT implementations integrated together to establish a ubiquitous IoT system – is widely adopted to maximize the potential of IoT applications. Connecting and scaling individual unit IoT systems to accommodate unpredictable variable IoT demands as a pool of distributed IoT applications is actually a software-oriented IoT requirement. Dynamic collaboration among these siloed unit IoT units necessitates a strong cloud-based backend system to access information and execute desired operations across the centralized IoT system. As part of the flexible architecture enabling dynamic collaboration among siloed IoT units, the system must form a feedback loop starting from sensing, reaching the centralized computing system, and returning with the desired IoT operation such as control automation that span across multiple IoT devices, sensors and machines.

Devising a flexible, scalable and agile IoT systems architecture is an ongoing and evolving process owing to the rapid pace of technological advancements and the inclination toward expanding IoT applications across all functional areas of the organization. These trends naturally require hardware resources from multiple vendors, varied connectivity capabilities, and scalable third-party cloud services. IoT platforms such as OmniM2M enable this flexibility with the ability to connect to anything using Open APIs, secure M2M connectivity, configurable cloud-based rules engines, built-in feedback loops as well as direct connections. With this approach, OmniM2M customers can invest in IoT hardware of their choice, avoid vendor lock-in and minimize IoT costs while maximizing return on investments.

Organizations cannot afford to go into overload with the overwhelming needs to expand and scale IoT applications as the business grows. The IoT platform itself needs to scale accordingly and help organizations establish a flexible architecture for elastic ubiquitous IoT applications.